Appropriate Adult (Volunteer)

Are you looking for a challenge?  Do you have some spare time?  Do you want to give something back to your community?  Is justice important to you and do you like to see fair play? 

If your answer is yes you may want to become an Appropriate Adult.

The Appropriate Adult Service offers support to vulnerable adults and young people who find themselves detained in Police custody. Being an Appropriate Adult is a challenging, fulfilling and often rewarding role.  

What will be expected of me?

You don’t need previous knowledge of legal procedures or social work. The role of the Appropriate Adult is not to provide legal advice but to offer impartial support and be a friendly face in the absence of a family member or carer to people who may be feeling frightened, bewildered, and confused in an unfamiliar situation.  As an Appropriate Adult you’ll join a team of local volunteers and will be on call at times to suit you.  You will be available to answer a call to custody in a swift and professional manner, in all weathers and with very little notice.  You will offer vital support to those who need it when they need it most.

How do you become an Appropriate Adult?

Every Appropriate Adult is DBS checked and given training before joining a team.  Each team covers one or more of Surrey’s custody suites in Salfords, Guildford or Staines. Although Appropriate Adults work independently there is on hand support and guidance with ongoing training on a regular basis. The service SAAVS provide is 24 hour for 365 days of the year and each volunteer is responsible for a regular weekly time slot of 6/8 hours.

What sort of person becomes an Appropriate Adult?

All sorts of people become Appropriate Adults and bring different skills to the teams. The one thing each of them has in common is an excellent ability to communicate and a willingness to donate their free time to SAAVS.  

If you think you may be interested in joining this team of unsung heroes please register ans we will be in touch with you.

What skills do I need?

You must be aged 30 or above and have your own reliable transport or live within 15 minutes walking distance of the allocated custody suite. (Please note Woking does not have a custody suite)

No formal qualifications are required.

We are looking for people who have time to offer to the scheme, who are flexible and ideally have their own transport and who have a mature outlook.

Volunteers will need to have life skills, be non-judgemental and clear thinking with the ability to remain emotionally detached.

No formal qualifications are required.

We are looking for people who have time to offer to the scheme, who are flexible and ideally have their own transport and who have a mature outlook.

Volunteers will need to have life skills, be non-judgemental and clear thinking with the ability to remain emotionally detached.

The role would require a long term commitment